LIFE as a Tour golfer is not always what it is perceived to be, particularly if you have spent years trying to establish yourself on the circuit. Earning a sufficient amount of cash to live comfortably can be a real struggle, with the constant threat of losing your card hanging over you.

Chris Paisley knows exactly how that feels. He will be 30 next year, so knows time is running out for him to make a real success of himself on the European Tour. He still lives with his parents, despite being married, as they save towards a house of their own.

Already this year he has travelled to Austria, Norway, Spain and Mauritius, but it was his latest sojourn to Germany which has really got him rolling and optimistic for the future. It could even have helped him climb up on to the property ladder.

Paisley secured his biggest pay-day in golf so far in Munich last weekend, when he stayed in contention for the BMW International Open title right up until the final approach to the 18th green. In the end he had to settle for third place behind Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson.

But with his wife, Keri, looking on, the satisfaction was still clear. While it could easily have been even better, the cheque for 125,000 euros propelled him up to 77th in the Race to Dubai rankings.

“This is massive for me,” said Paisley, from Stocksfield , where members were glued to the TV in the clubhouse over the weekend cheering him on. “I have been fortunate while I have waited for something like this because I have had those who stuck by me through some mean times.

“To get that chunk of money will help me. I may be married but I am still living at home with my parents. Hopefully this gives me a chunk to go towards a house. It’s given me a huge confidence boost as well to know I can play some good golf in a Tour event. Hopefully I will kick on.”

Paisley is well placed to attack the rest of the season from a stronger position, knowing he must finish in the top 110 in the Race to Dubai to retain his playing privileges for a further year. His push continues in the French Open today, where he will be joined by fellow North-East hopefuls Graeme Storm, John Parry and Rob Dinwiddie.

The Close House attached pro is keen to avoid a repeat of his appearance at Tour qualifying school, even though he secured one of the 27 cards up for grabs after six days of gruelling and nerve-jangling golf in Catalunya.

He was forced to endure that route after dropping out of contention for a decent finish. This time around, though, he has already earned more from his last event event than he did throughout the whole of the year, so is keen for that to continue.

That is why, after the dust had settled at the Golfclub Munchen Eichenried, he was satisfied with third place rather than winning the event. He had held the lead a couple of times on Sunday, but a bogey at 17 effectively killed his dream.

In the end he required an eagle on the 18th, which would have made holing his wedge approach to the green, to force a play-off with Larrazabal. It never arrived.

He said: “Realistically for me my goal is to keep my card, I wanted to go for it on the last but another part of me didn’t want to. I didn’t want to mess up and cost myself a lot of money. It was my first time in that situation but I felt I handled it.”

Paisley, who posted a solid one-under 71 to finish the tournament on 15 under, added: “It was great to start with. I made birdie and then chipped in at three. That settled me down. Given the circumstances, it was the first time I had played in the final group so I am happy. For guys who have won multiple times it is a lot easier.”

And Close House managing director John Glendinning said: "Chris is a great player and we are proud to have him attached to the club. All of the members were cheering him on. He did a great job. We look forward to welcoming him back to Close House soon."